The Isle of Virote
by Jav-chan
Summary: AU Betrayl, deception, and sex oh my! A dark look into the treachuries that lurk in the shadows of on family's politics.
1. Prologue

Isle of Virote  
Prologue

_

* * *

_

What I really want is just within my grasp.  
Is it possible to obtain?  
Will it slip through my fingers like water--  
disappear like dust in the wind?  
Is it real?  
The gnawing voice inside of me whispers:  
I NEED IT.  
Like a raw desire it over powers me and  
my fingers curl around it.

* * *

A number of people had gathered in the market square of the capital city of Glashell, the centre Providence of the Isle of Virote. Men, women, and children, all dressed in the cool silk that made life on the desert isle bearable. They all waited patiently, a murmer rippling, as they waited for the Steward to finish nailing the large cloth message into the wooden Message Board.

It was several more minutes before the last nail was hammered in, and by now the murmer was imaptaient and irritable. The Steward, a strong man, set the crowd a withering glare, but even that failed to stop the impatience. The Steward was a strong man, the pruniness of his skin and his graying the only attributes to his great age. He glared at them once more, before stalking off, mumbling about "imaptient youngsters".

The crowd nearly shoved him off of the cobbled side walk in their attempt to read the neat, scrawling script that covered the cream-colored cloth.

All of them knew that it had to do with the enemy north Providence, Hishell. Hishell was the only the only Providence of Virote that had refused to join the Circle of Virote. It was a Council made up of all the leaders and advisors of all Virote's Providences with Glashell at the head. Hishell's Queen had declared that Glashell was using the Circle as a means to rule the Isle. She went to every means necessary to belittle the centre Providence's King. The King paid little heed to her actions.

Until she called off the engagement between their children.

The engagment had been seen as a means to unite Hishell with the Circle. When the engagement was called off war had erupted between the Circle and Hishell.

This message was a declaration that a truce had been reached, and the Circle would finally be whole.

* * *

**_Third Day, Seventh Cycle, Fifth Year of the Circle_**

_The Providence of Hishell hereby concedes to the will of the Circle of Virote and the Providence of Glashell. The negotiator from Hishell has agreed to all of the request of the Circle. They are as follow._

_The aristocracy and nobles of Hishell will relinquesh there titles and land to the Circle._

_The negotiator will serve the Circle for five cycles. The negotiator will then provide the Circle with five canidates for a new leader. During this time, all of Hishell's lands will be under control of the Circle._

_All nobles and craft citizens of Hishell will serve families of the Providences of Glashell, Vishell, Jashell, Bashell for one year._

_Any citizens of Hishell who breach this contract will be disciplined by the highest level of the Circle's punishments._

The raven-haired woman raised her gray eyes from the paper she was reading to met the golden ones of the Circle of Virote's leader.

"It seem short, Sesshoumaru-sama." Her voice sounded amused.

"The length of the treaty does not matter, Lady." His voice was neutral, but his eyes held a bit of irritation in them. The woman's tone really annoyed him. "All you have to do is sign it."

"Sign it? That's it?" She seemed to consider the words.

It took all of Sesshoumaru's self restrain to grip the arm of his throne tightly. Damn it! The bitch was toying with him.

"Yes, sign it. Sign it and it all become a reality."

The young woman need, and read the treaty again. She frowned.

"I would have to choose five canidates to be Hishell's new leader? That wasn't part of the deal." Her eyes darkened. "Your advisor told me that by playing negotiator I would be assured leadership of my home."

The small twitching of the corner of his lips was the most the youkai revealed of his humor at the woman's anger.

"My apologies."

The emptiness behind those words caused the woman's grey to darken nearly black. She bristled with animosity wishing there was some way that she could turn this treaty back in her favor.

"Are you going to sign it Lady?"

Oh, how she wished he would shrivel underneath her glare!

"I'll be blunt." Sesshoumaru continued when the dark-haired women refused to do anything else besides glaring at him. "This is the best offer you're going to get. The other members of the Circle are reluctant to give you this one chance at retaining control of your kingdom. After all you, the crown princess no less, betrayed your family and your country. You made the conquest easy." He paused and looked at her thoughtfully. "Some of the members say it was too easy."

"I told you before! It was obvious enough that your military might exceeded our own. Our country would have been crushed, especially with how thin the loyalties were between the prefectures and the crown! It was the only way that would result in the least amount of blood shed."

"Some say things would have been different if your sister had remained the crown princess." Wasn't it interesting how the Hishellian princess paled at the mention of her younger sister. "I believe that if she had married my brother as it had been planned that there would have been even less bloodshed. Isn't it a shame that she disappeared. My step-mother has told me that there were even talks of conspiracy within the palace. Such a shame." The whole time, Sesshoumaru's amber gaze held the eyes of the woman. She seemed to turn paler under his scrutiny. The inu youkai let his gaze drop to the treaty. He tapped a claw against the parchment. "Well what is your will, _Lady_?" This time he allowed the contempt to filter into his voice.

"You say it like it is my choice." She surprised herself with how even her voice sounded. Even her movements were calm and fluid. Her anger was only reflected in the violent way she signed the parchment and the way she pressed her mother's signet into the silver wax a little too hard.

_Kikyou de Furl el Hishelia._

* * *

I know there seems to be a contradiction between what the people think and what actually happens but hey! that's politics. Please keep in mind that this is unpolished. I really needed to post something.I've also decided to start adding little poetic blurbs to my works at the beginning of each chapter. You'll see it in the next chapter of DGL. It should be out soon. I'm finally getting my creative juices flowing. I'll post the edited version as soon as I recieve it (which will happen after I send it to them) from my betas. Review!


	2. Taboo

**The Isle of Virote**

**Chapter One **

**Taboo**

* * *

Kikyou pulled the creamy gauze of her night robe tighter and twisted the material around her fist so that it concealed the pale flesh of her abdomen. This wasn't the first time that the youkai lord had made her feel unwelcome. Leaving the governance of newly acquired territory in the hands of a traitor did not sit well with any of them. Most likely, Sesshoumaru would have followed the same actions even if the Circle members had approved of what was promised to her.

Had her sister been right?

Was she naïve to trust him?

_Trust? Me? Trust **him**? _She shook her head as she stepped onto the gold-plated lift. She pressed a crystal button. Her gray eyes glazed over, not seeing the passing floors, as she contemplated their relationship.

Code name: Onigumo. The old court of Hishell had known him as Naraku. It was Naraku that had attracted her. He was a spy of some sort. She didn't know to whom exactly. His origins were unknown. She didn't know what lord he served or where and she didn't care. There was something so unbelievably _raw_ about him that she couldn't make her care. He was dangerous in a way that was dark, seductive; much like the men in those trashy romance novels her sister used to read.

Did she still read them?

Kikyou made a mental note to ask her on the next visit.

Her thoughts turned to Naraku as she stepped off the lift and opened the door to her temporary chambers. Thoughts that caused her breath to quicken and her flesh to warm. Suddenly her gauzy robe and the thin material she wore under it seemed too hot, too heavy. She untwisted the material that was around her fist and clawed at the material that covered unconcealed flesh. She was parting hard when it finally fluttered to the floor, ripped in several places. The phantom fingers, from a place deep in her memories, were running over her sensitized flesh.

"Thinking of me?"

Her eyes were glazed when she raised them to find him standing on the balcony. His stance was cocky. From the way he leaned again the marble rail to the way his arms crossed over his bare chest to the smirk that graced pale lips that could be sinful in their coldness. She hated it. Hated him and the need that he stirred inside her.

Yet she couldn't deny it. Couldn't deny him.

It had been much too long since his last visit.

"Bastard," she rasped, "you stayed away on purpose." Kikyou sauntered over to him, the need—the desire—threatening to tear her apart. All he wore was a loin clothe. "Come here."

* * *

**Does this chapter seem a little short to anyone? Well there's a reason for that. That's right I finally stopped blushing enough to write what I didn't have the guts the write for the middle of DGL. Lemon! This one may leave you with a bit of a sour feeling, but it's necessary in defining their relationship. I imagined they were completely different people instead of Naraku and Kikyou when I wrote it.It was slightly nasueating to write.Check the link on my bio and LJ for the full chapter.**


	3. Himitsu

**The Isle of Virote**

**Chapter Two**

**Himitsu**

It was not hard to hide the soreness that racked her body the following morning. The rutting on the balcony had just been the beginning of a long night that would leave her sated for several moons. These encounters had been routine for the past five years and the following morning's soreness was something that she even embraced.

Kikyou eyed the list of potential candidates from her late father's court as the carriage jolted down the hidden path. The cushions and silks that covered the interior of the carriage served as a buffer.

Today she was going to see her sister.

If Sesshoumaru and the other members of the Circle were suspicious of just where she went on her weekly travels or who she met up with Kikyou wasn't aware. She sincerely doubted that they even cared. After all they had gone out of their way to make reclaiming her throne quite a challenge. For all they knew she had not a friend in the world.

They weren't that far off.

Her late night visitor certainly didn't count.

Her sister was all she had. That said Kikyou never felt quite comfortable around her younger sibling. It wasn't that she didn't love her. She loved the girl with all her heart. She had so many fond memories of when they were children together. Her little sister looked like her in so many ways, only a little rougher around the edges. She was blessed with the same fair skin and ebony locks, but they never gave her the classic beauty. She had been a prankster and always founds ways of making Kikyou smile no matter what sort of rumors court intrigue always managed to dwell up. Her sister and her rare innocence had always been something that would make her smile. Whatever jealously the younger sister held for Kikyou in matters of suitors it was always well hidden and never lasted long.

All of this was in days long past.

The carriage slowed to a stop and Kikyou rose from the cushions to descend down the steps.

Her sister had never been the same since the accident.

Kikyou had been the one to discover them. Naraku had been there, looming (there was no other word for it) over the prone form of her little sister. Even the memory of the scene caused her heart to clench. There had been something so wrong with the situation. Something that caused uneasiness to gnaw at her constantly, even now.

* * *

"_Naraku!" The desire that has presence normally aroused in her didn't even have time to rise when she saw the prone body that lay near him. Hiking up her skirts, the princess made for the two of them. "What happened?"_

_Naraku turned to face Kikyou and the princess was surprised at the concern she saw in those eyes. He waited until she had knelt beside the bruised form of her sister before speaking._

"_I don't know. I was on my way up to the Court when I heard shouting. I saw those men running away." _

_Kikyou raised her head, her grey eyes brimming with tears, and she followed the direction that Naraku was pointing at. What she saw made her stomach clench and a sour taste rose in the back of her throat._

_Two bodies lay, mutilated, in blood stained grass. There arms, legs, and necks were bent at unnatural angles. Their bellies had been split open and the contents had spilled onto the ground. It was then that she noticed that the saber Naraku always wore was unsheathed and dripped of blood. Only then did the metallic stench reach her nose. She looked down at the way her sister's clothing was ripped, at the blood that trickled out of the corner of her mouth, and the bruises that colored her skin. She was unable to hold it in any longer. She turned away from her sister and emptied the contents of her stomach into the grass next to her. When Naraku handed her his kerchief she accepted and it was only when she cleaned what remained on her mouth that she realized that she was crying._

"_Was it them?" Her voice was surprisingly even._

_Naraku nodded._

"_Did you kill them?"_

_Another nod._

"_Good." Her gray eyes flashed with a rare hateful emotion as she surveyed the corpses, no longer with disgust._

_They should have known better then to touch her._

_The Jewel of Hishell, Shikon._

* * *

Somehow Kikyou had been unable to bring her sister back to the palace. Her parents would be shamed if they knew. Most likely they would have killed her. It was unforgivable in Hishell if a woman was unable to protect her own virtue.

She and Naraku had saved her.

"Kikyou-san!"

Kikyou had to force herself smile at the women, only three years younger then herself that bounded towards her in a fashion that was defiantly un-ladylike. She raised an eyebrow. The girl blushed quickly realizing her mistake.

"Gomen nasai, I forgot!" She stopped to catch her breathe. When her breathing had finally slowed to normal she grinned up at Kikyou. "Nee-san."

It broke Kikyou's heart to see her sister like this. She knew she should have been used to it by now, but it was so hard. The attack against her had not only robbed her of her chastity but her memory of well. Losing the memory of the attack was a blessing, but to not know her own sister?

"Naraku-kun said you would be coming today." She grasped the older woman's hand and started pulling forward. "Come on! I have something to show you!"

"Kagome-chan." Kikyou gasped at the rough tugging. "This is most unladylike!"

Kagome pouted but then smiled again. She released the hand of the sister she did not remember and contented herself to walk at a slower pace.

She no longer wore the royal finery she once had, but Naraku and Kikyou made sure that she still wore suitable clothing. It was peasant-style, covering her body in a toga-like fashion, but made of silk. The place she called home was one of the few grassy areas on the Isle, and was tended to by their old nurse maid. She was the only other person who knew the truth of what had happened to the former crown princess and would never tell. Kagome had always been Kaede's favorite charge and she would never let any harm befall her.

The work was light. All she was required to do was to bind the paper that was harvested from the cypress. Even the hands that worked in the fields, far away from the cottage, went about their labors at a leisurely pace.

"Kagome-chan."

She looked over at the girl who claimed she was her older sister. The girl who was now hiking up her own gauzy skirts in the same manner Kagome had earlier. She wore a rare, goofy smile on her face.

"I'll race you." With that she took off.

"Nee-san! That's not fair!" She cried as she chased after the other woman.

Kikyou laughed loudly as her feet pounded the ground, rushing towards the cottage.

Despite everything, it was times like this that made everything seem alright.

* * *

**Wow, two chapters for the same story in one shot. Actually, that's only because I decided to split Chapters 1 & 2. I'm being very strict with keep the chapters at four to five pages. I hope everyone's enjoying this so far. Be prepared to jump three years into the future next chapter!**


	4. Three Years Later

**The Isle of Virote**

**Chapter Three**

**Three Years Later…**

Fear. It was seeping through everything, filling every pore in her body. She could still feel his hands on her, traveling all over her skin; brushing her breasts, touching…touching places she never wanted him to touch!

"Where is she, old hag! Tell me or it will be your throat!"

She had to force herself to take big gulps of air. There was only one time when she remembered feeling this scared. Scared because of sensations such as these. She still couldn't fully remember what exactly had happened, but she didn't need to. The feeling was the same. She didn't want to remember! A shuddered sob escaped her throat at the same time there was crashing sound in the kitchen. She had to escape. Kaede had told her to get out of the cottage, away from him, no matter what…

Why didn't the feel of his hands go away!

"_Kagome-chan." His breath was hot against her skin and her stomach clenched in revulsion. Her clothing lay on the floor in tatters._

_The body of the man she had grown to know as Naraku-kun—a type of big brother that she was in awe of—was pressed flush against her own. A hard length that had tears of frustration and fear slipping down her cheeks pressed firmly against her bottom._

"_Don't cry." It was a harsh demand, but she couldn't stop the silent tears. "You'll enjoy this."_

_He had already slapped her for the tears, but stopped when the bruises started to form._

"_So beautiful. So different from your sister." He moved away from her for a moment. The relief that came from the cool air replacing the heated skin was ripped from her when he settled on top of her. He sucked hard at the juncture of her throat._

_Gods! How she wanted to scream!_

_He kissed his way down her chest, stopping only to roughly grasp her nipples with his mouth, and his hands traveled further down. They traced over her stomach, her hips, lower, closer to the apex, to the one spot she had never wanted a man to touch._

_She knew nothing of desire, and this force frightened her._

_He fed off of that. It was a better elixir then Kikyou's raw lust. _

_She didn't want this!_

_She never wanted him in this way!_

_Never again! She never wanted to see, hear, or feel him again!_

"_Naraku-sama!" A voice from outside._

"_**What is it?**" The anger that colored his voice at the interruption had her shaking even harder._

It had been a miracle that one of his guards had shown up, reporting that the Source (whoever that was) was demanding to see him in the capitol. He had locked her in the room, his eyes glittering with the promise of what was to come, before leaving.

Somehow, Kaede had managed to break down the door with an ax that looked far too heavy for a woman, never mind one of her age. That was one she told Kagome how to escape.

"_He's coming. Hurry, get down there." _

_Kagome nodded, her entire body trembling. The old woman pushed a tiny satchel into her shaking hands._

"_Kagome." Her voice was firm. "Look at me."_

_The young girl looked up at her guardian, her blue eyes bright with fright. _

"_There is a trap door that leads to the basement. You know where the silk tapestry hangs, the green one?"_

_She nodded._

"_It's right under there. Go, and find a place to hide. I'll distract him. When I give the signal," she stopped her foot on the floor twice, "I want you to run. Get as far away from here as you can, as quickly as you can. Don't stop to take a horse. That will only give him time to find you, and it will make your trail all the more obvious. Head to the capitol. During midday I want you to go to the palace. The pouch contains the royal crest of Hishell."_

_Royal crest? Hishell? Why? She wasn't royalty. Besides even if she was they were the last people who would want to see her._

"_I know you don't understand right now, Kagome, but you have to trust me. Do you have your ring?" Kaede glanced down at her charge's left pinky. "Good, show that to one of the guards and tell him you need to see Inuyasha-sama. Don't ask; demand to see him."_

Now she stood there, crouched under the small, dug-out window of the passage trying to locate his guards. Violence continued to sound from the kitchen, directly above her. She clutched the satchel to her stomach, doing her best to calm her breathing and to clear her mind. Again, she peeked out of the window, finally locating the last of the seven men that made up Naraku's Inner Guard. It confused her that a man of his position would have a Guard; her sister had always said that he was an assassin. What did he need a guard and servants for?

The violent double stomping from the floor above tore her from her thoughts. Her grip tightened on the satchel, and she hurried towards the opening of hidden route.

Naraku's men kept to the same routine that they did on all of their other visits. Only a few of them were just starting to enter the cottage to help Naraku pump Kaede for information.

Kagome didn't even allow herself time to worry about the well fare of the women that cared for her. After all, there was nothing she could do. Whether or not Kaede survived the night there would be nothing she could do until she was safely under the protection of Inuyasha-sama. Blue eyes peered through the brush that served as the only covering for the open door way. (A door had been built further along the passage to keep animals out.) The guard was all he had brought with him tonight, and the four remaining were grouped by the front door. She watched them for a moment, wasting precious minutes, and when they continued to talk in their easy manner she bolted for the woods.

She moved quickly—she needed to get away from him as soon as possible—but she was also quiet. She was very good at moving quickly and quietly through these woods. She knew the layout of Kaede's property surprisingly well and the time she had spent playing Hide & Seek with the farm hands on their time off made her adept in moving with stealth. Even Kikyou, who had surprisingly keen senses for a human (as the youkai help would say), had difficulty in locating her during the game.

Her feet stepped lightly, carefully, as she made her way deeper into the forest that surrounded the northern edge of the farm. When she turned around to judge her distance, all she could make out was a faint light. She allowed herself to go faster, to make just a tiny bit of sound.

Naraku-kun—no, Naraku—would discover that she was no longer there any moment now.

Oh, how she hated that she could no longer think of him as she used to. He was no longer a big brother. He was…he was a monster.

A cry of rage came from the cottage.

Kagome bolted.

**Well, wasn't that lovely. I swear, writing those scenes make my skin crawl. Will she make it to Inuyasha or will she encounter someone along the way? What do you think? I know right now that the citrus scenes leave you with the slightly nauseous feeling but cheer up! She'll be meeting Inu-chan very soon. **

**Also, sorry about no DGL update this week. I'm only halfway through the chapter. I know it's not much for compensation, but to make up for it I've posted an extra chapter for this story. Gomen ne!**


	5. The Alley At Night

**The Isle of Virote**

**Chapter Four**

**The Alley At Night**

She held breath, her heart shuddering in her chest. Her stomach was on the ground, and the thick foliage covered her ebony hair. The tunic and loose skirt she wore were a dark green, the color of pea soup and helped her to blend in well with the large leaves.

Naraku thundered passed her on his horse, his face dark with rage. Two of his guards had barely passed her when the dark-haired spy reined in his horse. His beady eyes roamed over their surrounding and Kagome fought hard to control her trembling and to hold her breath.

His eyes strayed over the foliage and fear clawed at her heart when she saw the crimson specs that burned in the depths.

"There." His voice was smooth as he observed the plant she hid under. "There is something there. Something that is…" His lips curved into a cruel smirk. "Frightened."

A tear slipped down her cheek and once again she felt the memories consume her.

One of the men dismounted and approached her hiding spot.

Suddenly her head felt light and her lungs threatened to burst as she struggled to keep her breath near silent. A scream nearly ripped from her throat when she felt something soft and warm land her back, causing the leaves to rustle.

Naraku smirked in a way that had her stomach clenching.

The rabbit nosed her clothing briefly as Kagome looked back at it, her blue eyes wide. Suddenly it tensed, it's entire body going rigid with a fear that mimicked her own. There was another rustling and one of the guardsmen withdrew his sword.

Something cold and smooth slid over her legs, resting on her shins.

Kagome allowed herself the smallest of rushed breathes when the rabbit darted out through the foliage, followed quickly by whatever had been resting on her legs.

The guard jumped back in surprise, almost a little put out to see the thing that had been radiating fear was just an insignificant animal. The long-eared desert rabbit froze at the sight of the humans, uncertain of what to do, what action to take. The guard's eyes flicked back to the foliage to see a snake with motley-colored scales coiling up into a tight 'S'. There was a hiss from the reptile, and the rabbit bolted in response.

The poor thing didn't even have a chance.

The constricter's scales gleamed copper under the moonlight , and blood sprayed on the ground as the serpent's fangs dug into a vein. The snake's body shifted slightly as it squeezed the mammal tighter. The rabbit's legs twitched once, twice, before finally going still.

"Gather them up." Naraku nodded at the two animals. There was something infathomably cruel about the look on his face.

The guards exchanged uncertain looks before a burlsack was thrown to the dismounted man. Warily, he made his way to the snake. The snake, having noticed the presence of humans, hissed threateningly. Another guard dismounted to hold the bag while the first guard guided the irritated snake and it's prey into the bag.

"Now," This time it was Naraku himself who dismounted from his horse, "I believe the Shikon is hiding from me."

A tear slipped down her cheek and Kagome dug her fingers deep into the dirt, clinging to the ground, praying for salvation.

_Please! Someone…_

Naraku slowly approached, his inky hair loose over his dark tunic. He looked every bit as deadly as the snake had only moments ago.

Were the fangs that peeked out from under his smirking lips just her imagination?

"Ho! What's all this racket?"

Naraku stepped back to his horse and the guard had just heaved the bag containing the snake onto his mount when one of the city guards came out, his eyes suspicious as he came across the small group.

Kagome's body sagged in relief.

"Who are you? What's in that bag?"

"I am but the merchant of a lord of one of the eastern Providences, Captain. My men just found the most amazing snake. My lord will want it for his collection."

If the Captain noted the sneer that was interlaced in Naraku's tone he ignored it.

"Do you have an inn you are staying at. It is past curfew and the gates are closed for the night."

"Yes, Captain. We were just heading towards it. I am sorry if we—"

"Stop your groveling, merchant." The Captain snapped. "You made quit a noise and are interrupting the sleep of the citizens. Get your asses to your inn and stay there. I don't want to see you or your men wandering my city after curfew ever again."

Naraku looked scandalized. Obviously, the city guard had seen through his polite façade.

"Which inn are you staying at?"

"The Vlotery; by the palace."

The Captain grimaced at the name of one of the most expensive inns in the city that was rumored to double as a brothel for the rich.

"Let me escort you back then, gentlemen."

From what Kagome could see from her vantage point behind the large leaves Naraku had a sour expression and his face and looked as if he wished that he had a woman by his side that could sweet talk the guard into a false sense of security so that he could be taken out.

"We don't want to trouble you."

"It's no trouble. Besides there are some rumors of some unsavory characters roaming these streets at night. We have yet to catch them and it wouldn't do for a visitor from a neighboring providence to be harmed while they enjoy our city's hospitality."

The look in Naraku's eyes was positively murderous.

"My men are perfectly capable of protecting me."

"I'm sure they are, but you never can tell who you'll come across on a night like tonight."

"But—"

"Please." The Captain smiled, revealing the gleaming, pointed fangs of a youkai. "I insist."

Kagome couldn't believe her luck. To think that someone would have been patrolling just as Naraku was about to find her!

She waited until the group of men headed in the direction of the palace. She cursed silently as she watched the city guard finally round the corner. She should have revealed herself; it didn't matter how close Naraku had been to her. She had the pouch with the royal crest of Hishell in it. She didn't know why it was so important that she had, but she trusted Kaede. Besides there had always been something, something about the name of that Providence that caused her heart to clench. It was at those times when she felt that she was forgetting something vitally important.

She wanted to remember. At times it even felt like a desperate need, but whenever she tried her head was filled with this painful throbbing. Something had happened in her past, something that Kaede had always refused to talk about, and Naraku's earlier attempts were starting to clear away the mists that shrouded the hidden memories.

Grunting, Kagome dug her hands into the dirt surrounding the cobbled streets and pulled herself out of her hiding place. A squeeck escaped her when her skirt snagged on a jagged rock and pulled her skirt down against her hips. Thankful that no one was around she scrambled to yank back up, her face red despite the fact that she was alone. It annoyed her greatly to discover that the rock had also stretched the waist of the skirt and she had quite a bit of difficult of tying it so that it was so loose around her waist.

She didn't her the rasp of leather heels against walk, or the crunch of gravel as two cut across the walkway to a nearby house when they noticed her.

She quickly brushed the dirt off of her worn clothes, and was starting to dig the dirt that had gotten wedged under her nails out when she noticed the strange insignia on the ring she always wore. How strange. She had never noticed that before. She raised her hand to inspect it closer, turning it so the gold would catch the soft moonlight.

She didn't her the soft sniggers of the approaching men as they nudged each other and pointed at her.

_How strange._ She narrowed her eyes as she twisted her hand to observe it from another angel. The insignia looked so much like the pictures she had seen of the royal crest of Hishell. Like the one that was contained in the sack that was still covered in her previous hiding spot.

"Well, well. What have we here?"

Kagome looked up and her eyes went wide at the site of two men, one tall and slim, the other made of burly, bunched muscle making their way towards her. The way they made their way to her reminded her to much of Naraku's earlier actions. She lowered her hand and tried to smile, trying to hold back the fear.

Yes, she really couldn't believe her luck.

"Good evening. Could you please help me get to the palace?" Kagome really didn't like the way they smirked at her.

"Why do you want to go there?"

"She wants to lay with one of the lords, I wager." The tall one grinned.

"With the hanyou? Or the youkai?"

"Hanyou, I reckon. No woman would dare go near Sesshoumaru-sama."

By now Kagome coud barely stop her body from quivering.

"Ah, look. She's trembling." The burly man gripped her shoulder painfully. "Got an itch you can't quite scratch, darling? Come on, I know just the place. "

"No-no, please."

"Now don't be like that." They started to guide her down the streets. "You'll like this place. The Vlotery."

She flinched when the tall one started to caress her hips.

"The women there are _real_ friendly. Like to please people. You'll love it. I bet the boss wouldn't mind signing on a tender little thing such as yourself."

The burly man looked disappointed. "She's not for us?"

"You know the rules. Besides the boss might let us have a taste later on. After the Auction."

"You think she's a virgin."

"A delicate girl like this?" The tall man started to play with her hair. "I guarantee it."

Kagome flinched.

"Here that, chick'ee? Tomorrow night they're going to make you into a real woman."

_No!_

* * *

**Out of the frying pan and into the fire, eh? Ok, to make up for the mess up with this weeks post next post will be two chapters of DGL, plus one from Isles.**


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